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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28349106">A Starlight Wish</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeChewChew/pseuds/MeChewChew'>MeChewChew</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XIV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Longing, M/M, Starlight Celebration (Final Fantasy XIV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:40:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,885</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28349106</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeChewChew/pseuds/MeChewChew</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Aymeric makes the same wish every year.</p><p>This year, Haurchefant made the same wish too.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aymeric de Borel/Estinien Wyrmblood, Aymeric de Borel/Haurchefant Greystone, Aymeric de Borel/Haurchefant Greystone/Estinien Wyrmblood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Starlight Wish</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Haurchefant had once made the mistake of asking Aymeric what he wished for Starlight. He had meant it as a jest, for it was children who wrote letters and wishes for toys during Starlight season.</p><p>Aymeric had humored him, of course, and said that he wishes for the same thing every year. For the safety of Ishgard and her people. And yet, the bitter smile that graced Aymeric’s lips accompanied by the dimming of his eyes told him much differently.</p><p>This is Haurchefant’s second year spending Starlight with Aymeric as one lover out of two. He remembers all too well how last year went and he has spent countless days pondering ways to help.</p><p>House Borel is nothing but decorated with the finest décor to match Aymeric’s illustrious title and yet, when Haurchefant steps in, he feels a chill run through him. The home, or rather, the house, feels empty. Devoid. Two servants come to greet him and offer to take his coat, but he smiles brightly and sends them off to do what they will.</p><p>He knows House Borel like his own home at this point and makes his way to the kitchen. On the way there he passes buy the parlor and peers inside. A tree befitting to the manor sits in the corner by the fire, decorated with tinsel and glass. There are a sparse few presents under the tree which Haurchefant knows are fine gifts from Aymeric to his house helpers.</p><p>Even within such a festive and warm room, Haurchefant can feel that something is missing.</p><p>He makes his way to the kitchen and finds his dear doing exactly what he told him he needn’t do. Haurchefant shakes his head and steps inside, making sure his footsteps are heard before wrapping his arms around Aymeric’s waist after he pulls a tray of tarts out of the oven and onto the stovetop.</p><p>Haurchefant kisses the back of his head, leans down to nuzzle his cheek before leaving another peck there. Aymeric is tense in his hold no matter how hard he pretends to relax and Haurchefant had expected it, had foolishly hoped that this wouldn’t be the case.</p><p>“My dear, I thought you received my message that House Fortemps would provide all the necessities for dinner.” He chides.</p><p>Aymeric chuckles, “I can’t very well show up empty handed. How would that reflect on my character?” He turns to place a chaste kiss on Haurchefant’s lips, “and I believe that your letter said dinner, not dessert.”</p><p>A grin crawls up Haurchefant’s lips and he shakes his head, “I shall be more specific next time, lest you find another way to increase your workload.”</p><p>“A year long challenge for you, then.”</p><p>Haurchefant squeezes and shakes him as they laugh and soon they are on their way to House Fortemps with a basket of sweets and an armful of presents.</p><p>It doesn’t pass Haurchefant’s gaze to notice the way Aymeric peers up at the buildings during their walk.</p><p>The doors to Fortemps Manor opens and the chill lingering from the outside instantly vanishes upon stepping inside. The reds of the walls combined with the lights strewn around bring a fullness to the room. Presents spill around their lively tree and it’s not the decorations of the house that bring a warmth to Haurchefant, nor the fire blazing in the hearth, but the way his family perks up when he and Aymeric enter. The way that they come to greet them at the door and reprimand Aymeric for making sweets until he stammers, at a loss for words.</p><p>Haurchefant laughs and ushers everyone inside, a hand on the small of Aymeric’s back to nudge him forward in his embarrassment until they’ve all seated around the dining table.</p><p>Dinner is wonderful as it is every year, even more so now with Aymeric joining them. He talks with an ease to his father, discussing topics away from politics and Ishgard.</p><p>While he listens to Emmanellain recall his countless ventures with the ladies of the city, Haurchefant can’t help but let his mind wander and imagine what Starlight dinner is like at House Borel. There’s a pang in his chest at the thought of Aymeric either spending dinner alone or not at all. An empty dining table except for a lonesome seat. Perhaps one or two more if he bade his servants join him.</p><p>He shakes his head slightly and peers over at Aymeric who is smiling during his talk with his father. That smile never falters, even when Haurchefant catches him taking a quick glance out the window when the clock strikes on the hour.</p><p>After dinner and dessert, or, rather, an hour of Aymeric being praised for his culinarian skills until he’s rolanberry red, they move to the parlor to unwrap gifts.</p><p>Aymeric insists on leaving before the presents, telling Haurchefant that this a special time for him to spend with his family. Haurchefant shakes his head and puts his foot down, “Are you not my family now too?”</p><p>His dearest promptly keeps his mouth shut after that and Haurchefant soothes him over with a kiss. He would not have Aymeric wallow with his thoughts alone on this day.</p><p>They head to the parlor and the Fortemps are simply enamored by the fine scarves that Aymeric has gifted to them. Haurchefant is even surprised when his father pulls out a gift from under the tree for Aymeric.</p><p>Silk wool gloves. A perfect gift for someone who insists on leaving his fingers exposed.</p><p>Aymeric thanks him graciously and his father shakes his head with a chuckle, “As they are a gift, you must wear them from now on.”</p><p>Aymeric laughs and makes a show of putting them on for him to see and reassures him that he will put them to good use. His father threatens to chide the poor man in public should he see Aymeric’s fingers ungloved when he is outside.</p><p>When all has settled, Haurchefant and Aymeric see themselves out into the night. Aymeric has his new gloves on, of course.</p><p>The night has settled in and the streetlamps are struggling to light the way between the darkness and snow. With Ishgard’s people indoors and with family, Haurchefant feels emboldened to walk just a tad closer to Aymeric, until their shoulders touch every so often.</p><p>To remind him he’s there.</p><p>So Aymeric doesn’t wander off in his mind too far, so he remembers to look where he’s walking every so often while his gaze remains ever upwards along the skyline.</p><p>Aymeric radiates tension from beside him, enhanced when the church bells chime eleven times.</p><p>Oh, how Haurchefant wishes he could make it go away.</p><p>House Borel is dark by the time they arrive, lit by only the necessary lamps to guide them to Aymeric’s bedroom. The hearth has been stoked and the room should be warm, yet Haurchefant feels that same chill again that he felt earlier. Only this time, it is accompanied by a heat that sears.</p><p>Two gifts sit on a bedside table and Haurchefant pulls out his own gifts from the inside of his coat to rest there.</p><p>It doesn’t take long for them both to undress and redress into their nightwear. They sit side by side on the bed and Aymeric reaches over to grab one of the gifts to hand to him.</p><p>Haurchefant tears it open and raises his eyebrows, jaw dropping slightly at the treasure that sits in his palm.</p><p>“My dear,” he starts, cut off by Aymeric chuckling and placing a kiss on his cheek.</p><p>“’Twas not a large dent in my account. Only a middle sized dent.” Aymeric reassures him. Haurchefant briefly has the thought of shaking him silly.</p><p>A pendant, small and crystalline, a perfect match to the earring that Aymeric wore daily. He let Aymeric clasp it around him. There was a perfect weight to it; not too light, and not too heavy. Perfect for him to feel as he wore.</p><p>“A good gift for a knight such as you. Inconspicuous and out of the way.” Aymeric smiles cleverly.</p><p>“And close to my heart,” Haurchefant finishes what’s left unsaid.</p><p>Aymeric pouts just slightly, “Was it so obvious?”</p><p>“’Tis a sweet gesture befitting someone so sweet,” Haurchefant grins and wraps his arms around him to squeeze him until he wheezes.</p><p>Until he relaxes.</p><p>He hands over his present and warns Aymeric that it’s not as expensive. The other simply laughs and says that he does not care, only that Haurchefant had bought something with him in mind.</p><p>Aymeric is simply delighted after he gingerly unwraps the paper and slides his gift out. It’s a brooch of sapphires and golds. A lovely addition, or even replacement, to the brooch he currently wore on his robes. A bit flashier than his current one, but no one would question the Lord Commander for a slight change in wardrobe after the Starlight season.</p><p>“I will wear it out tomorrow,” Aymeric nods, watches the way the light of the fire reflects off the gems.</p><p>Aymeric sets the brooch carefully back into its velvet pouch and onto the table.</p><p>The third gifts go untouched and Haurchefant shifts his body so that they are out of Aymeric’s line of sight.</p><p>And Haurchefant knows what’s coming, can feel the tension crawling back under Aymeric’s skin, the anxiety festering in his chest until Haurchefant can feel it too.</p><p>He watches blue eyes take a peak behind Haurchefant where he knows the window is, curtains wide open to let the moon’s light spill in. To let someone in.</p><p>“Aymeric,” he whispers. Tries to distract him to bring him back down again.</p><p>The church bells chime once.</p><p>He is too late.</p><p>Twice.</p><p>Aymeric does not tear his eyes away from the window.</p><p>Thrice.</p><p>Haurchefant waits in agonizing silence until the bells chime for a twelfth time.</p><p>Then it’s silent.</p><p>And Aymeric turns away from him with a shuddering sigh so quiet that Haurchefant barely hears it.</p><p>“Aymeric,” he whispers again, places a hand gently on his arm.</p><p>“’Tis nothing,” Aymeric says back, pretends that he is fine and shrugs to move Haurchefant’s hand off of him. “Truly, ‘tis nothing.” His voice turns into a whisper at the end, breaking off abruptly with a quaking breath.</p><p>“Oh, my dear,” Haurchefant wraps his arms around him and turns him around to bring into his chest. He settles Aymeric’s head into his neck and runs a hand through his hair, the other gliding up and down his back soothingly.</p><p>Aymeric doesn’t speak, only shudders and occasionally sniffles against him, a wetness building against his neck and down his collar. Haurchefant turns his head to plant kisses against his hair, coos and shushes him until he calms down, reassures him that he needn’t apologize for anything.</p><p>Haurchefant wipes his tears away with the pad of his thumb and pats his face dry with a tissue before Aymeric finally falls asleep. The bells chime once and Haurchefant places a kiss on his forehead and watches the rise and fall of Aymeric’s chest until he’s too tired to keep his eyes open.</p><p>Aymeric makes the same wish every year.</p><p>Has the same hope he has every year.</p><p>Feels the same disappointment he does every year.</p><p>This year, Haurchefant made the same wish too.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Twitter @incorrectelezen or @mechewchew &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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